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Standing fine root mass and production in four Chinese subtropical forests along a succession and species diversity gradient

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Abstract

Background and aims

The influences of succession and species diversity on fine root production are not well known in forests. This study aimed to investigate: (i) whether fine root biomass and production increased with successional stage and increasing tree species diversity; (ii) how forest type affected seasonal variation and regrowth of fine roots.

Methods

Sequential coring and ingrowth core methods were used to measure fine root production in four Chinese subtropical forests differing in successional stages and species diversity.

Results

Fine root biomass increased from 262 g·m−2 to 626 g·m−2 with increasing successional stage and species diversity. A similar trend was also found for fine root production, which increased from 86 to 114 g·m−2 yr −1 for Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation to 211–240 g·m−2 yr −1 for Choerospondias axillaries forest when estimated with sequential coring data. Fine root production calculated using the ingrowth core data ranged from 186 g·m−2 yr −1 for C. lanceolata plantation to 513 g·m−2 yr −1 for Lithocarpus glaber – Cyclobalanopsis glauca forest.

Conclusions

Fine root biomass and production increased along a successional gradient and increasing tree species diversity in subtropical forests. Fine roots in forests with higher species diversity exhibited higher seasonal variation and regrowth rate.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31170426 and 30771720); the New Century Excellent Talents program (NCET-06-0715); the Program for Science and Technology Innovative Research Team in Higher Educational Institutions and the Furong Scholar Program of Hunan Province.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China

    Cong Liu, Wenhua Xiang, Pifeng Lei, Xiangwen Deng, Dalun Tian & Xi Fang

  2. Institute of Environment Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada

    Changhui Peng

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  1. Cong Liu
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  2. Wenhua Xiang
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  3. Pifeng Lei
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  4. Xiangwen Deng
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  5. Dalun Tian
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  6. Xi Fang
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  7. Changhui Peng
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Correspondence to Wenhua Xiang.

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Responsible Editor: Alain Pierret.

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Liu, C., Xiang, W., Lei, P. et al. Standing fine root mass and production in four Chinese subtropical forests along a succession and species diversity gradient. Plant Soil 376, 445–459 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1998-0

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